Boston Dynamics, which built the robot, say it could be used in emergency rescue, disaster recovery and supporting military operations.

They say its creation is part of a program looking at improving fluidity and flexibility in robots.

DARPA, who funded the WildCat, specialises in military research and "sponsoring revolutionary, high-payoff research bridging the gap between fundamental discoveries and their military use".

The WildCat is part of a whole family of robots built by DARPA, which includes the human-like Atlas, a walking metal man with radar vision, and Big Dog - a pack mule-like creation that can carry up to 180 kilograms over all types of terrain.

The WildCat is still in its early stages, with hopes of eventually producing a four-legged robot that can run at speeds of up to 80kph on all types of terrain.